As I was on the way to the town centre, a runner found me and told me my area of operations was free for me to move in. So I went and took a look. It had originally been a pub, so it suited my purposes immensly. I could store supplies in the cellar, Put in beds upstairs and use the downstairs as the main area for resupplying, plus a place for soldiers to have something to eat. I also made note of the fact that we could set up an area for the injuried next door, in what looked to a warehouse. Satifised with what there was, I continued into town in order to get done what I could.

My first order of business was the supply depot. I looked around til I found a gentleman that was obviously in charge. Now to see if I could make a deal. I introduced myself and what I was about. The gentleman practically hugged me when he learned that all he had to do was get the supplies for the west wall moved to where I was and I would deal with the rest. I showed him the supply lists I had on me. The Major's and the Training's supply list was fine. Then I showed him the squad's...... requests. Needless to say some profanity were used here and some haggling started. Once I was sure he was 'amendable' to a present or two, I brought out a bottle of good whiskey from the bag on my back and told him that there would be another if I got everything on the list. He hemmed and hawwed and then told me three days was best he could do. I smiled and shooked his hand for acceptance. He looked at me befuddled and then clasped my forearm. Oh well. At least I knew the proper greeting for here now.

I then went to the armory. This was going to be the essential one. I would have to again persuade someone for preferential treatment. The person in charge was not the best bet here however. I needed to find a senior smith. It took a little while but I found someone. I then made a deal. It cost me most of the raw materials I had in the bag but at least it was done. I managed to arrange a pick up and drop off arrangement and parted feeling like I had just been robbed. It would be worth it in the long run, but damn if it didn't feel a bit rough now. That left the healers.

The headquarters was right next to the city hall. I went in and identified who I was. I was shown to an office where an older, kindly looking gentleman sat. Something told me this wasn't going to be a good meeting. He started off by telling me that he didn't currently have the personnel for the west wall at the moment. When I asked him why, he blustered for a while and then told me the truth. The major's political standings or lack of, had meant that in the backroom dealings between the more astute officers, he had well and truly shafted. While I had managed to work out a deal where the supplies and equipment was concerned, There wasn't much I could do here. I inquired did he have anyone available at all. To which he said he did, he just didnt have a full complement. I asked him what he had. It turned out that he had the surgeons, so I wasn't totally screwed. Just mostly, as that was all there was. As I sat there thinking, a thought came into my head. I asked him if there was a midwife guiild, and if there was, where was it based. It turned out there was and as luck had it they were based here. I told him about the building next to me and requested he send the surgeons there. I then went downstairs to the midwives guild. There I met a truly formidable woman by the name of Charlotte. Within short order, I had secured access to the rest of the personnel I needed, just in the form of women which I had no problem with. Charlotte was coming along with them so she could the place up and running. As I went to leave, I decided to ask a question.

"If you don't mind me asking, why have you thrown behind me what looks to be a sigificant part of the guild behind me?" Charlotted cocked a eye at me and replied.

"Cos im gonna show those bastards upstairs that I am everybit as good as they are. In fact, I am a sight bloody better." I had no argument with this. In fact, I was willing to bet on her with everything I had. I then headed back to the town hall and requested to speak to the administrator I had talked to before. I had to wait an hour but eventually I was ushered into an office, where sat the man I had seen this morning. He guestured to the chair in front of his desk.

"Well Tinkerson I look at you and the reports I have recieved so far, and I'm feeling slightly more better about taking a bet on you. Getting Madam Charlotte involved was inspired thinking." That told me one thing. This man was watching everything I did. Which I didn't blame him for. "Now since you got most of the problems in hand, I take it you are here about the young Officers?" I nodded. He sighed and stood up and went to the window to look out of it.

"As you no doubt have guessed by now, the Major is a lifer through and through for the army. Normally he wouild be stuck at some godforsaken posting on a border somewhere defending and away from all the politics and happy as a clam. But since he is one of the best monster hunters I have, I need him here. Right in the middle of the heart of politics. And the major is a fucking disaster there. As a result he got dumped with all the glory seekers and headstrong lads of our leaders. They will of course defend the wall admirably, die for the city or be grievously wounded and the major will probably be sent into exile to the border again if he still lives for not preparing those boys properly. I don't particularly like the situation, but I have no solution. If you have thought of something, then please, enlighten me."

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"Sir, you may have these more at higher level, but have you thought of maybe hiring an aide de camp for the major? Someone who can't fight, but might be able to help behind the scenes as it were." The Administrator frozed in thought.

"That could work." He said at last. "Oh I have no doubt they will still be a pain in the arse, but it should enable the major to work around them and the person I have in mind should be able to stop anyone playing silly buggers again with the politics. Capital thinking captain Tinkerson, I look forward to seeing what you do in future" Translation. Go back to work. I bowed and left.

I made my way back to my little depot. The warehouse was full of activity, being gotten ready for it conversion as a medical headquarters for the west wall. I saw activity also at my depot and grinned. Look like Charlotte had been able to get me the staff I needed. Bloody miracle worker that woman. I stepped inside to see the veteran squad sat around a couple of the tables, the sargeant and the lieutenant at third table, eating.

"Well Captain, looks like you were as good as you said you were. Food! There also beds upstairs for us I been told." I have decided to make sure that the veteran squad had somewhere to live. They were going to be vital in what was to come, and I needed them in tiptop shape. By staying here, I could enable that. "Saw we got our training supplies. What about our er, other items?"

"Three days or so. Best I could do." The sargeant nodded, satifised with the answer.

"Turns out we not as screwed as I thought we were. We got supplies, equipment here or on the way, turns out some of the troops had to defend against monster waves before so we havent got all noobs. Just most of them. Also, someone arrived from headquarters and called the officers together. Nobody heard from them since. So we been able to laise with the other sargeants and sort stuff out." The NCOs were the backbone of any army and it seemed that fortunately we had good ones here. It seemed everything was in hand. I bid them all good day and went to find the major. As I left I heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh and the lieutenant calling out "That what happens when you touch a woman backside unasked, Rosser. Keep your hands to yourself unless otherwise asked to."

I went back to the gatehouse and found the major. He was enjoying a glass of what looked to be some clear alcoholic liquid. "The man of the hour! I must thank you. I thought I was likely to die here. As it is, we have a chance. That aide de camp has taken the other officers on an 'inspection' tour of the city defences elsewhere for now." He raised a glass to me and downed it in one. He then put it all away and then got back to business, continuing our conversation.

"I am getting the scrubland cleared and erecting some breakers near the woodlands so nothing can just charge out of there. You gotten the medical, supplies and logistics sorted. The squad are about to start training who they can. The officers will be kept out of our hair until that part is finished, or as finished as a one week training session can be. A lot of people are gonna die here." He looked grimfaced. "Then we got two weeks of nonstop monster coming against the wall. The wall I have no problem with. The defences I can now erect thanks to you. The people are going to be the problem, undertrained as they are. But we can equip them and feed them and perhaps the medical headquarters might be able to save a bunch of them that would other die when they get injuried." He looked me in the eye and then clasped my forearm. "But we done what we can. I do what I got to do and you do what you got to do, and we meet back here after it all completed and we see what is what. Hopefully we both be alive. I nodded and went to walk out the room.

Suddenly I found myself looking over a battlefield. The battle looked to be nearly finished. It hovered over one section of it. It showed the sargeant hacking at a formidable monster with a huge axe. While he was doing so, the lieutenant was guarding his back, making sure the other monsters couldn't get to him. Members of the squad fought around them. Some of them were missing.

The major was back on the wall, making sure nothing made it beyond it. Wielding a two handed sword, he kicked monsters off the wall if he could, and hacked them to pieces when he couldn't. All of a sudden, the monsters started to retreat. "Let them go!" Bellowed the major "The wave is finished. we won! we won!" The scene then faded to black and a box appeared in front of my eyes.

Mission Passed

The battle was won. All objectives were met.

The wall stood.

The veteran squad lived and were able to carry out all activities thanks to their supplies

The major lived and was able to hold the line despite the inexperience of his officer's corp.

The hospital quarters was able to save more then two thirds of the men sent to them, giving the defenders an overall 70% survival rate.

Special objectives

You created a unique unit in the form of the depot. Due to the workings of this unit, the wall was able to perform the defence beyond the expectations of the mission. If you chose the last option, you have achieved a pass grade and have not failed.